Spreaders for aerial conductors



Dec. 15, 1964 N. H. GREENE, JR.. ETAL 3,161,724

SPREADERS FOR AERIAL CONDUCTORS Filed March 1, 1963 FIG.3

INVENTOR NICHOLAS H. GREE NE,dr BQRCH lBALD T. FLOWER Attorney UnitedStates Patent "ice 3,161,724 SPREADERS FOR AERIAL CONDUCTORS Nicholas H.Greene, Jr., Springfield, and Archibald '1. Flower, Glenside, Pa. (bothArch T. Flower Co., Queen St. and Ivy Hill Road, Philadelphia 18, Pa.)

Filed Mar. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 262,099 6 Claims. (Cl. 174-146) Thisinvention relates to spreaders for aerial condoctors and moreparticularly to an insulating spreader for separating lashed ormultiplexed conductors and facilitating the making of connectionsthereto.

In overhead secondary wiring construction it is now increasingly thepractice to use a close assembly of lashed or multiplexed conductors inplace of the previous spaced apart construction in which the conductorsare maintained in spaced relation by means of Spreaders. The lashed ormultiplexed secondaries are advantageous in that they occupy less space,require less tree trimming, have greater strength, are heater inappearance, and the associated supporting hardware is of smaller sizeand weight.

Incident to connecting transformers and services to lashed ormultiplexed secondaries it is necessary to separate the conductors inorder to provide sufficient working space for making the splices. Thisseparation is accomplished by removing the lashing or untwisting theconductors for a short distance to either side of the point whereconnections are to be made and suitably spreading the conductors apartto provide the necessary working space. The conventional spreaderaccessory for connecting services to such secondaries has heretoforebeen a metal take-off clamp which typically is clamped to the neutraland has the other conductors disposed in spaced grooves. Among thedisadvantages of such clamps are that the working space provided isinadequate and that should the insulation of the conductons becomefrayed by rubbing on the metallic edges of the grooves there is apossibility of a short circuit.

It is an object of this invention to provide a spreader for makingconnections to lashed or multiplexed conductors which is constructed ofinsulating materials and as compared with metal is much less likely todamage the conductor insulation by chafing action.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spreader which tightlygrips the conductors.

A further object of the invention is to produce an insulating spreadercomprising a pair of superimposed spreader bars having overlapping slotsentering from opposite longitudinal edges (to provide through openingsfor receiving the respective conductors, the bars being pivoted togetherwith a grommet.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a spreader forsecondary conductors comprising a pair of superimposed bars pivotedtogether with a grommet which have registering apertures adjacent theends to receive respective bails of service take off fittings or othermeans for securing the bars in closed position about the condoctors.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulating spreader forconductors which is simple in construction, eflicient in operation andinexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the spreader in open position,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the spreader in closed position,

3,161,724 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 FIG. 3 is an edge view of the spreadershown in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modification inclosed position with the spreader bars in registration, and

FIG. 6 is a similar view to FIG. 5 showing the spreader held with a tiewire in more tightly closed position.

Referring to the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a pair of elongated fiat bars 10and 11, which may be identical, constructed of suitable insulatingmaterial such as molded glass fiber reinforced polyester. Thelongitudinal edges of each bar are provided with a series of spacedslots 12, 13 and 14 extending transversely of the bars, across thelongitudinal axis of the bars, with the slots 12 opening through theedge opposite to that of the slots 13 and 14.

The bars are disposed in superimposed relation with the slots of eachbar in inverse relation to the slots of the other bar so that the closedends of the slots of one bar overlap the closed ends of the slots of theother bar. The free ends of each bar are provided with tight fittinggrommets 15, the grommets of each bar being adapted to register with thegrommets of the other bar when the bars are in superimposed relation andas the heads of the grommets project from the surface of the bars, thebars will be spaced apart, as shown in FIG. 4. A grommet 16 extendingthrough both bars, intermediate the slots 12 and 13, pivotally connectsthe bars together, permitting the bars to be swung to the position shownin FIG. 1 for inserting the conductors 17, 18 and 19 in the slots 12,13, and 14. After the conductors are inserted in the slots the bars areswung to the position shown in FIG. 2, in which position the grommets 15form through openings 20 and 21, to receive a bail 22 for supporting agroup of service conductors, not shown, it being understood that anothergroup of service conductors may also be taken off at the other end ofthe spreader by looping a bail through the opening 20. Thus, it is seenthe bail 22. passing through the passages 20 and 21 secure the barsagainst pivotal movement so that the conductors 17, 18 and 19 aresecurely clamped in the ends of the slots of the bars.

The longitudinal spacing of the slots 12, 13 and 14 is such as toprovide convenient spacing of the conductors for making up the splicesin conventional manner. The mouths of the slots are tapered to permitthem to engage and close upon the conductors and the inner ends of theslots are so dimensioned with respect to the specific size of theconductors so as to tightly engage the conductors when the bars are inclosed position.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 the bars 10 and 11 areprovided with elongated slanted slots in place of the grommets 15forming the passage 21 and the adjacent ends of the bars are providedwith central notches 31 in the edge thereof. The slots 30 extend at anangle to the longitudinal axis of the bars in a downwardly divergingrelation towards the notched ends of the bars. When the conductor 19 isengaged in the slots 14, as shown in FIG. 5, the upper ends of the slots30 will be in overlapping relation providing an opening 32 through thebars for inserting the bail 22 which supports the service conductors.The tension exerted by the service conductors on the bail pulls the baildownwardly in the slots thus moving the bars to a closed position andthe slots 14 into forceful engagement with the conductor 19. If desireda tie wire 33 may be looped through the slots 30 and the ends twistedtogether within the notches 31, as shown in FIG. 6, to provide thedesired tension. The angular movement of the bars under the tension ofthe tie wire will move the grommets forming the passage 20 slightly outof alinement but not enough to prevent a bail to be inserted through thepassage.

In use, the bars of the spreader are swung open to the approximateposition shown in FIG. 1. The bars in open position are disposed betweenconductors 17 and 18 so that; conductor 17 will be received in theopposed slots 12 and conductor 18 will be received in opposed slots 13when the bars are partially closed. The slots 14 are so spaced fromslots 13 that when the bars are partially closed to confine theconductors 17 and 18 in the respective slots. 12 and 13, the opposedslots 14 will be sufficiently spaced apart to receive the conductor 19.After positioning conductor 19 between the slots 14 the bars arecompletely closed to confine the conductor within the slots. The bail 22is then looped through the passage 21 and secured to the servicemessenger, not shown, after which the service is spliced to thesecondary conductors. In the modified form of the spreader shown inFIGS. and 6, after the conductors are inserted in the slots of the barsa bail or tie wire 33 is looped through the angular slots 30 and adownward pressure is applied on the slots to move the bars to cause theslots 12, 13 and 14 to tightly grip and compress the conductors.

The use of grommet 16 to pivotally connect the bars has decidedadvantages over a conventional nut and bolt in that there is no nut towork loose, weight is reduced, the assembly operation is simplified,packaging space is conserved, appearance is improved and cost isreduced.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A spreader bar for conductor wires comprising a pair of superimposedelongated flat bars of electrical insulating material having a pivotalconnection, each of said bars having a like plurality of spaced lateralslots with some of the slots opening through one edge of each bar and atleast one of the slots opening through the other edge of each bar, theslots of each bar being disposed 0ppositely to the slots of the otherbar and extending across the bars beyond the longitudinal axis of thebar so that the closed ends of the slots of one bar overlap the closedends of the slots of the other bar, all the slots opening in one edge ofeach bar lying to one side of the pivot point and all of the slotsopening in the other edge of each bar lying to the other side of thepivot point, said bars having opposite transverse openings disposedendwardly of an endmost opposing pair of lateral slots, said openingsbeing adapted to register when the bars are in parallel relation.

2. A spreader bar as defined in claim 1 including grommets disposed inthe openings at the ends of said bars said grommets having contactingheads which space said bars apart when in register.

3. A spreader bar for conductor wires comprising a pair of superimposedelongated flat bars of electrical insulating material having a pivotalconnection, each of said bars having a like plurality of spaced lateralslots with at least one of the slots opening through one edge of eachbar and other slots opening through the other edge of each bar, theslots of each bar being disposed oppositely to the slots of the otherbar and extending across the bar beyond the longitudinal axis of the barso that the closed ends of the slots of one bar overlap the closed endsof the slots of the other bar, all of the slots opening in one edge ofeach bar lying to one side of the pivot point and all of the slotsopening in the other edge of each bar lying to the other side of thepivot point, the ends of said bars more remote from said pivot pointbeing provided with elongated slanted slots disposed endwardly of theendmost lateral slots, with the slanted slot of each bar extendingendwardly in diverging relation to the slanted slot of the other bar andaway from the edge of the bar having an adjacent lateral slot, the upperends of said slanted slots being in register when the bars are inparallel relation.

4. A spreader bar as described in claim 3 wherein the ends of said barsadjacent said slanted slots are provided with wide shallow end notches,and including a tie looped through said slanted slots and engaged insaid end notches.

5. A spreader bar as described in claim 3 including a bail insertedthrough said slanted slots adapted to exert an endward force on themarginal edges of said slanted slots and thereby move said bars toreduce the size of the openings formed by the overlapping ends of saidlateral slots.

6. A spreader bar as described in claim 1 wherein said bars havetransverse openings disposed endwardly of the endmost pair of lateralslots at both ends of each bar.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,946,757 2/34Parker 174-45 X 2,560,723 7/51 Hansen 24-132 X 2,724,815 11/55 Sisco24-115 X 2,825,751 3/58 Flower 176-146 2,860,907 11/58 Vanciel 174-146 XJOHN F. BURNS, Primary Examiner.

JOHN P. WILDMAN, Examiner.

1. A SPREADER BAR FOR CONDUCTOR WIRES COMPRISING A PAIR OF SUPERIMPOSED ELONGATED FLAT BARS OF ELECTRICAL INSULATING MATERIAL HAVING A PIVOTAL CONNECTION, EACH OF SAID BARS HAVING A LIKE PLURALITY OF SPACED LATERAL SLOTS WITH SOME OF THE SLOTS OPENING THROUGH ONE EDGE OF EACH BAR AND AT LEAST ONE OF THE SLOTS OPENING THROUGH THE OTHER EDGE OF EACH BAR, THE SLOT OF EACH BAR BEING DISPOSED OPPOSITELY TO THE SLOTS OF THE OTHER BAR AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE BARS BEYOND THE LONGITUDINALLY AXIS OF THE BAR SO THAT THE CLOSED ENDS OF THE SLOTS OF ONE BAR OVERLAP THE CLOSED ENDS OF THE SLOTS OF THE OTHER BAR, ALL THE SLOTS OPENING IN ONE EDGE OF EACH BAR LYING TO ONE SIDE OF THE PIVOT POINT AND ALL OF THE SLOTS OPENING IN THE OTHER EDGE OF EACH BAR LYING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PIVOT POINT, SAID BARS 